Bengaluru, Jul 11 (IANS): Covid cases started rising in Bengaluru and Karnataka from Unlock 1.0 in June, despite lower infections until the end of May, said a minister.

"Karnataka and Bengaluru had very less number of cases until the end of the fourth phase of lockdown on May 31st. As we started Unlock 1.0 on June 1st, cases started increasing unlike other states and cities where cases were high even during lockdown," said Medical Education Minister K. Sudhakar said on Friday.

Amid spiking cases in Bengaluru and rising infections in the state, Sudhakar said an audit of Covid-19 death cases is being carried out to reduce mortality.

Meanwhile, he said the government will start conducting 20,000 antigen test starting Saturday.

Sudhakar said more than 80 per cent cases are asymptomatic without the need for hospitalization while 2 per cent require ICU and ventilator attention.

The minister also said that a centralized bed allocation system for Covid-19 patients is being readied which can be viewed in real time.

"We will have a transparent centralized allocation system of beds and people can view them in real time about availability of beds in each hospital," said Sudhakar.

On Friday, government held a meeting with the managements of private hospitals on various issues, including reserving beds for Covid treatment, providing human resources, management of Covid Care Centres (CCC) and others.

K.S. Satish, a senior pulmonologist appealed to the people not to panic and follow the precautionary measures such as wearing a mask, maintaining physical distancing and regularly washing hands with soap.

According to the senior doctor, even elderly people are getting cured within a week to 10 days and there is no need to panic.

Sudhakar also appealed to the youth to take care of the elderly and invoked Sharavana Kumara from the Ramayana epic from Treta Yuga.

"It is an opportunity for us to serve our parents, grandparents and elderly at home. Sharanava Kumara carried his blind and aged parents on his shoulders to fulfil their wish of going on pilgrimage. Now we need to just ensure that our parents stay at home," he said.

Sudhakar said the youth should ensure that elderly people above 60 do not step out.

On Friday, 2,313 more people tested corona positive, with Bengaluru alone accounting for 1,447 cases even as the total number of cases in the state rose to 33,418.